


The Fall of Spring

by namara_ashina



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 5+1 Things, Hades/Persephone AU, M/M, Persephone Goes Willingly With Hades (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Snarry AUctoberfest 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26706499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/namara_ashina/pseuds/namara_ashina
Summary: How many times will Spring visit the underworld before becoming trapped?
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 25
Kudos: 158
Collections: Snarry AUctoberfest 2020





	1. The First

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2020 Snarry AUctoberfest and beta read by the wonderful Hippocrates460  
> Prompt: Severus is Hades. Harry is Persephone.

The first time the young man ventured into Severus' domain was a mild surprise to say the least. The land of the dead was not one people willingly tread unless one needed something desperately. And yet this man, barely older than a boy, had seemingly come wandering in just to gawk and was now staring at him with green eyes that reminded him suspiciously of–

"What do you think you're doing down here?" Severus demanded, suddenly aware that he had been staring just as much, if not more.

"I just sort of... found my way here?" the boy replied in a tone that had Severus narrowing his eyes.

"Get out!" he snapped, "this is no place for scatterbrained humans!"

"But I'm not–"

"This is no place for untitled divinities either!"

"But I'm–"

"I said," Severus interrupted, stalking up to the boy, " _get out._ Perhaps you are unaware instead of brainlessly idiotic but I am the god of the dead. And this," he said with a sweep of his arm, "is my domain."

"Now," he continued in a menacing whisper as he reached out to lift the boy's chin and look him straight in the eyes, "I suggest you leave before I decide to imprison you here instead."

The boy flushed and jerked back, though whether it was guilt at being discovered or anger at being insulted, Severus did not get a chance to discern before the youth had run off, leaving Severus with nothing but the lingering warmth on his fingertips.


	2. The Second

The second time the young man ventured into Severus' domain he looked both less like a boy and less like the man who must surely be his father. He also looked much smaller, curled up as he was several feet from the exit to the underworld.

"And what do you think you're doing down here?" Severus asked silkily, causing the young man to startle and scramble to his feet, eyes wide, only to relax just as quickly.

"Oh, it's just you," the young man replied, his tone making Severus bristle. He marched up to him, intent on telling him off once more only to notice– 

"I thought I told you this was no place for untitled divinities," Severus said as he discreetly eyed several fading bruises, his tone stern but not unkind.

"I'm not though, I tried to tell you last time."

"Impossible," Severus retorted, "I know all of the old gods and you are most certainly not one of them."

"Well... I am now," he replied, his shoulders slumping..

"... I have not seen anyone come through my domain."

"Nothing left," the young man replied tersely.

Severus regarded the young man for a moment, taking in the returning tenseness, before simply turning around and walking away.

"Wait!" came a startled call, causing Severus to pause and look back, almost drawn to those green eyes that seemed intent to simply blink stupidly at him until he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Er... you're not going to tell me to leave?" came the awkward question.

"If a titled divinity has business in my domain then I suppose I must allow them passage. Though I caution you not to eat anything grown here or I will have no choice but to imprison you," he warned. Severus continued on his way, leaving him with nothing but the glimpse of a smile so warm he could almost feel it burning his ears as he turned a corner.


	3. The Third

The third time the young man ventured into Severus' domain, it was for a proper introduction accompanied by–

"And what are you doing down here, _Harry_?" Severus asked, repeating the name he had just been given as carefully as he eyed the young god's offering.

"You said if I had business in your domain that you would allow me passage," replied Harry, his grin unfaltering despite the reception.

"And just what business does the new god of the harvest have with me?"

"Er..." Harry startled, his hands lowering slightly. "No, I'm... Sirius took over as god of the harvest. I'm..." he said as wariness seemed to creep into his tone, "I'm the new god of spring."

"And just what business does the new god of spring have with me then?" Severus corrected with some impatience, causing the young god to startle anew.

"You're..." Harry replied after much staring broken only by Severus' obvious impatience, "you’re not going to tell me that spring should be ruled by a goddess?"

Severus simply raised an eyebrow in response, causing Harry to grin widely, holding the bundle out anew.

"You mean to tell me you have come all this way to present me with... flowers?"

"As a thank you," Harry replied cheerfully, his grin widening even further as his hands were finally left empty.

"While it is a... lovely sentiment, it is a rather useless one. I'm surprised they have not wilted already."

"Of course they haven't!" Harry cried indignantly. "I may still be new at this but I can at least keep flowers alive."

"They are flowers," Severus replied matter-of-factly, "they require sunlight and fresh air, not darkness and decay."

"I'm telling you, they'll be fine!"

"...very well," Severus conceded under the intensity of the young god's stare. With a final dubious look, he turned to walk away.

"Hey where are you going?"

"Unlike some people, I have duties that need attending to. And remember, do not to eat anything while you are here or–" 

"Or you'll imprison me, I know," Harry interrupted with a cheeky grin to which Severus simply raised an eyebrow before departing.

"You'll see!" he heard Harry call out as he strode away. "They'll still be just as healthy the next time I visit!" And as Severus turned a corner he was left with nothing but a handful of flowers that seemed to exude a strange heat against his chest.


	4. The Fourth

The fourth time was an interruption.

"Asking after your flowers does not constitute as business, Harry."

"You didn't get rid of them, did you?" the young god frowned, looking around not so discreetly.

"They are in my living quarters," Severus sighed as he put down the quill, sensing no more work would get done.

"You keep them in your room?" Harry asked, looking oddly pleased.

"I could not exactly leave them about without raising questions," Severus scowled in response to which Harry proceeded to look even more pleased. Severus sighed anew. "Do you not have duties of your own to be attending to as a new god?" he almost immediately regretted asking.

"It's... not going so well."

"It cannot be from a lack of ability," Severus remarked offhandedly, missing Harry's reaction as he frowned into the distance. "They are not still foolishly insisting that spring needs to be a goddess are they?"

"No it's not that," Harry replied with a small smile before his shoulders drooped. "I'm just... it wasn't meant to be me, you know? I never thought I would ever be a titled divinity and if I did, it – it wouldn't be so soon!" he cried, becoming more and more agitated as he began to pace. "But they needed someone _now_! And I was their kid right? But what if I didn't want this? What if I can't do it? What if–"

"Harry!" Severus interrupted as he grabbed the now frantic young god by the shoulders. "You need to calm down."

"You don't understand!" Harry responded, looking so close to tears it left Severus aching.

"Yes. I do."

Harry stared at him, looking shocked, before suddenly throwing his arms around him. He gave Severus no time to react as he pulled away just as quickly.

"Sorry," he mumbled, flushed with what must be embarrassment, "and thank you." He gave Severus one last indecipherable look before running off, leaving him with nothing but a burning warmth that threatened to consume him.


	5. The Fifth

The fifth time–

"What right does he have saying stuff like that!" cried Harry as he continued to pace furiously, flushed with righteous indignation. "He acts like you’re some kind of murderer, a monster!"

"He's hardly the only one," Severus replied in as bored a tone as he could manage while he resisted the urge to reach out.

"But you're not!"

"And what makes you so certain?" Severus asked, patience straining ever tighter.

"Because if you were you’d have trapped me down here the first time I ventured into your domain!"

"And what makes you think I didn't consider doing just that?" he asked calmly, causing Harry to stumble in his pacing and stare at him in shock. Severus' eyes narrowed menacingly as he stalked up to him, backing Harry into the wall. "What makes you think that I've not thought of feeding you something every time you visit?" He asked, his voice low. "Of deceiving you, imprisoning you, regardless of the consequences?"

Harry stood frozen in place. Severus noticed he was flush against the wall and starting to shake. It was all the answer he needed.

"Get out."

"Wha–"

"I SAID GET OUT!" Severus roared and finally the young god reacted by bolting from the room, leaving Severus with nothing but an echoing chill.


	6. The Final

"What do you think you're doing?!" Severus demanded frantically.

"What do you mean?" Harry responded cheekily, his lips a bright red.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Severus whispered hoarsely, eyes narrowing when Harry simply shrugged. "And when I am blamed for this? When I am proven a monster and labelled a kidnapper, for imprisoning a god and prevent him from completing his duties? When I-"

"Severus!" Harry cried, dropping the remaining pomegranate seeds. He grabbed the god of death by the shoulders to prevent him from pacing. "It's alright, take a deep breath. I figured it all out."

"Did you now," Severus whispered skeptically, feeling trapped between those hands.

Harry grinned in response. "Did you hear what happened when my parents died? How the overworld froze over?"

"I fail to see how this is a good thing."

"I'm getting to that!" Harry laughed. "Everyone was so desperate to find a replacement that no one noticed how beautiful the ice and snow could be until it was almost all gone. Even Albus said that maybe a bit of winter would be good. So that's what I'll do. I can bring life back to the trees and fields when the snow melts and then return here for the rest of the year.

"But you're the god of spring, you need the sun and wind and water! You’ll wilt away here!" Severus cried desperately.

"Just like the flowers I left you?"

Severus remained silent, Harry grinned smugly.

"... why would you even go to such lengths?" Severus asked softly as a gentle warmth seemed to fill the air.

"Because I want to, because you understand."

"And when you come to resent being stuck with me?"

"Oh  _ Severus _ ," Harry responded coyly as he moved to wrap his arms around the other man's neck, pulling their bodies flush, "I highly doubt that will happen. Besides," he continued with a smirk, "I think I'll enjoy being the master of death."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are always welcome.
> 
> This work is part of the Snarry AUctoberfest 2020. The creator will be revealed after all works have been posted.


End file.
